So it’s happened. Nature has overtaken me and is showing me a clean pair of heels in all my gardens. For the next month or so all I can try to do is ‘keep up’ and keep things ‘tidy’ as growth is at it’s strongest. Depending on the size of your garden, or workload, it can be daunting but take heart in the fact that nature will run out of steam before us gardeners do. Late summer and autumn will be spent playing catch up, but catch up we will.

I always have a pair of secateurs in my pocket at this time of year, for those rogue brambles and ‘weeds’ that stick their head above the perennials, like nettles, docks and bracken. It is always best to hand pull them if possible but age and wisdom has taught me that it is quicker and easier just to behead them for now. Every garden will have it’s challenging weed(s), mine is ground elder, which I have learned to just enjoy, but if yours is bindweed then put in a cane close to the roots and let the bindweed climb the canes rather than the plants. It is easier to pull up that way too.

One of the many things that still keeps me smiling in the garden is finding something ‘lovely’ that has self seeded – in the past it has been cosmos, rocket or mustard leaves but this year it is my absolute favourite – Glitter Spinach. I am still mesmerised by the pink underside of the leaves and the ‘glitter’ that actually comes off on your fingers. And it tastes good too.

One of my very active and garden-savvy clients had a problem with voles undermining her raspberries last year and planted chives around them to act as a deterrent – and it seems to have worked. I think any strong smelling herby perennials would work – just be careful not to let them take over too.

Whilst talking to this same client a few weeks ago, we were both concerned about the lack of insects in the gardens in previous years but especially this year. Isabel had even noticed there were more insects in London than here in rural Wales. And I have noticed that whilst working in beds and borders I am no longer accompanied by the buzz of bees, hover flies or even wasps. I mentioned to her that the big test would be my brother’s cotoneaster coming into bloom, as it is usually literally ‘moving’ with pollinators. Two weeks later I have been shocked and saddened to see the cotoneaster completely devoid of insects. Not one. It’s eerily bereft of all pollinators. And I’m not sure why.

Logically, it has to be pesticides and although my brother doesn’t use them, he is amid farmland that may do. I really don’t know, but I have made a conscious effort to spot insects in this last week and the lack of them has been grim.

But in the surreal world of Chelsea Flower Show last week bees were as popular with the cameramen as celebrities, with no lack of either amongst the fantastic floral fashion show.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching it all this year, especially the charm and chaos of the Dog Garden and seeing a bit of reality among the manicured gardens.

Having been lucky enough to attend on VIP Day for the last 10 years, interviewing celebrities and designers alike for the BBC, it is nice now to have it all delivered through the TV as I dedicate my time to new projects. It’s important to remember that we may delay things but life doesn’t.